Roman Switzerland: A study of cultural interactions and Roman strategies

Roman Switzerland presents a valuable case in the study of Roman influences on their provinces. Studies have been undertaken on both military as well as civilian settlements in urban and rural settings. This study concentrates on the built environment of Roman Switzerland with the intention of looking at the broader, more public rather than the narrower, more private development of the area.; The ongoing debate in Roman archaeology over whether the Romans actively pursued a program of cultural integration of their conquered peoples or whether the various native groups took it upon themselves to take on aspects of Roman culture and make them part of their lifestyle is part of this investigation. The evidence in Switzerland suggests that the various tribes in the study area took on certain traits of Roman cultural elements, namely the aspects that they found to be improving their lives. Thus we see evidence of bathing structures in each town and even farm estates as well the conversion of houses from wood into stone structures, and the adoption of water pipes. The evidence for luxury structures such as theatres and amphitheatres or dedicatory buildings is rare, however. The layout of the military camps also suggests an inward looking military population, who might have restricted their contact with the local population to a minimum. These might be indications that the Romans in this area of the Empire, did not actively pursue a program of cultural integration.; We do find that the Romans built a dense and defensive frontier along the Rhine while they left the majority of central Switzerland almost untouched. This, I believe resulted in a buffer zone, which the Romans established in order to keep intruders from invading the heartland of the Roman empire, Italy. Thus the area seemed to be primarily of military importance to the Romans.; Comparing this picture with other western provinces, mainly Gaul and Britain, we can see many differences in the development as well as layout of the cities and the rural landscape as well as in the strategies the Romans employed in dealing with the local population.; Commonalities become visible as well. Smaller settlements formed around bigger centers for example and the degree of cultural change is more evident and greater in large than in small settlements.